Rotary engine.



No. 665,754. Patented Jan. 8, I901.

W. H. PRESTON.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application filed Jan. 11, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheeis-Shoet l.

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n nununnammk WITNES M's No. 665,754. Patented Jan. 8, I906. w. H.'PRESTON.

ROTARY ENGINE. (Application filed .1. 11, 1900.

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(No Model.)

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\VILLIAM H. PRESTON, OF VALLEY JUNCTION, WISCONSIN.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 665,754, dated January 8, 1901.

Application filed January 11, 1900. Serial. Nol,087. \No model.)

To all whom it may concern- Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. PRESTON, residing at Valley Junction, in the county of Monroe and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to that class of rotary engines having an annular chamber in which is held a concentric rotating piston; and it seeks to provide an engine of this character embodying the elements of simplicity in construction, stability and effectiveness, and inclu din g the no less desirable quality of economizing power for operating the same.

In the practical application of my invention I provide a piston having radially-disposed pockets arranged to cooperatively act with suitable spaces formed in the annular chamber adapted to hold the operating fluid under pressure.

My arrangement of-the piston and its fluidholding pocket and the collecting-space in the annular chamber differentiates, so far as I know, from other forms of rotary engines involving the same generic principles in that the operating media (fluid) may be either steam, water, or oil held under pressure and in which when water or oil is used as the m0- tive agent a direct impact force will be imparted to the piston from diametrically opposite points and in opposite tangential directions, the pocket and collecting-chamber being relatively so disposed that the piston will in itself automatically cut off the direct pressure thereon, except when at such points where the piston-pocket and the collecting space or chambers communicate.

My invention also comprehends a novel arrangement of parts whereby the engine can without change of movement or structure be set for use either under steam or water pressure.

In its subordinate features this invention consists in certain details of construction, all of which will hereinafter be first described and then specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of my invention, illustrating the manner of its use when it is to be operated by water or oil under pressure. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the engine, showing the same adjusted for operation by water-pressure. Figs. 3, 3 3 and 3 illustrate diametrically-modified forms of the piston-pocket 3, hereinafter particularly referred to. Fig. t is a transverse sectiontaken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 illustrates the two sections that form the piston in detail.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters indicate like parts in all the figures, 1 indicates the casing of my improved engine, the external contour of which is suitable to provide for constructing the casing economically and to render it stable, one side of the said casing in practice being covered by a cap-plate 2, suitably bolted in place, it being understood that said cap is to be held fluid and air tight by proper packing, (indicated by 3 in the drawings.)

4 designates the bearing members, inwhich the journal ends of the drive-shaft 5 are mounted, the said ends in practice having the usual st-uffing-pockets, oil-cups, &c., as well as fast and loose pulleys, (indicated by 6 6 The casing 1 has an annular chamber 8, in which the piston 9 is held to rotate concentric with the shaft 5, said piston being of a diameter to snugly fit the internal perimeter of the chamber 8, as best shown in Fig. 2. The casing'l is also provided with a plurality of collecting-spaces 12 12 preferably two, and when two they are arranged diametrically opposite each other.

The space 1.2,which I shall term the upper space, begins at a point slightly to one side of the vertical axis of the casing and projects some distance around in the direction of movement of the piston. In other words, assuming the piston to. be constructed to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow X, the space 12 will begin atthe right of the axial line 2 and extend to the left, while the lower space 12 will begin at the left of the line ,2 and extend around to the right.

The spaces 12 12 do not extend the full width of the chamber 8, but are cored out to the width equal that of the width of the pockets formed in the periphery of the piston 9.

'13 designates a feed-pipe for conveying steam or water or other fluid under pressure to the space 12, into which the said pipe discharges, and the said pipe 13 is also provided with a valve 13 for cutting off the feed of the steam or water.

14 designates a drawingoff pipe that connects with the space 12, said pipe having a valve 14, that remains closed when the motive agentisa liquid under pressure. The pipe 14, however, forms an exhaust when steam is used as a motive agent, the valve 14 under the latter conditions being left open.

In practice the two spaces 12 12 are intended to be in communication with each other, and for this purpose the internal face of the chamber 8 may have a chamber or groove 8, that forms a lead from the space 12 to space 12, as best shown in Fig. 2. \Vhen, however, my improved engine is arranged to be operated either by steam or liquid pressure the two spaces 12 12 are joined by a pipe 15, placed exteriorly of the casing and provided with a valve 15, the closing of which will hold live steam from entering the lowermost space 12, the reason of which will hereinafterappear. By this arrangement of parts it is manifest that by joining the feed-pipe with the steam or with the liquid supply, as desired, the engine may run by simply properly adjusting the valve 15.

The piston 9 has a series of peripherallyarranged pockets the peculiar construction of which and their cooperative arrangement with the spaces 12 12 forms the essentially novel feature of my invention. If desired, a number of piston-pockets may be provided; but I prefer to so divide the peripheral edge of the piston that at least two of the pockets will always be in communication with the spaces 12 12. As before stated, the piston is made to snugly rotate within the chamber 8, and as the piston-pocket and the spaces 12 12 have a less width than that of the piston or chamber properit follows that the said piston and the chamber 8 have coacting opposing surfaces, (see y y in Figs. 4 and 5,) that extend entirely around and which form, as it were, liquid or steam packing surfaces, and thereby provide for a tight joining of the piston and the chamber in which it rotates. All of the pockets in the piston are constructed alike, and the several pockets are uniformly arranged and separated. Each pocket 16 consists, essentially, of a contracted inlet 16, that extends radially, and an expansion portion that increases in area from the inlet 16 to its base and which extends practically in the direction concentric with the axis of the piston and in the direction of the rotation of the piston. The exact formation of the pockets may Vary without departing from the gist of this part of my invention; but to increase their effectiveness, especially when the power media is liquid under pressure, I prefer to make the said pockets substantially in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 5, by reference to which it will be seen that each pocket from the piston, while the bottom d of the said pocket inclines downward from the throat at a tangent to the piston, such formation of the pocket tending to lead the steam or liquid forced against the piston in the direction that will effect the greatest rotary action upon the same with a minimum expenditure of such force.

To provide for an economical as well as practical manufacture of the piston, the same is made of two similar sections, which are bolted together to form a single body, it being understood that suitable packing is held between the two sections to prevent leakage.

In Figs. 3, 3", 3, and 3 are illustrated several ways in which the piston-pocket may he formed to produce the same general results obtained by making the pocket as before described.

At A is illustrated a straightway pocket, all of which except the inlet or throat extends concentrically with the axis and is disposed near the perimeter of the disk. At B the same form of pocket is shown, except the throat is made longer and the body proper of the pocket lies in a plane nearer the axis of the disk.

At 0 the disk is shown with duplex pocketsthat is, in the same space that one pocket is formed. Nhen made like that shown in Fig. 2, two independent pockets having the relation of the two forms shown at A B is provided.

At D another form of pocket is shown, and in this construction the said pockets are arranged in a continuous series held in a close relation to each other.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the complete operation of my construction of engine will be readily understood. When the same is arranged to be operated by liquid under pressure, the liquid may be supported in a suitable reservoir 20, as shown in Fig. l, with the lower end in which the valved feedpipe connects, and the said reservoir equipped with a force-pump, as indicated in dotted lines at 25, or it may have connected therewith an air-pu mp 26 for effectively filling the air-space above the liquid-line, (indicated by 27.) When the said reservoir is equipped with an air-pump, it is also provided with a safety-valve 28. If desired, the valve wateraltitude within the reservoir.

operating media to be water under pressure, by opening the valve-inlet in the pipe and closing the valve in the outlet-pipe the liquid will fill the upper collecting-space 12 and also the pockets of the piston in communication with said space 12, it being understood that at the same time the fluid will pass down through the groove or channel at the left of the piston-chamber and also fill the bottom space 12 and the pockets of the piston in communication with the said bottom space 12. Now as the said piston-pockets fill the water-pressure will cause the piston to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow and successively will the remaining pockets of the piston fill with water; It will thus be observed that as the inlets of the piston-pockets, now full of fluid, come into contact with the fluid held under pressure within the upper and lower collecting-spaces 12 12 the fluid-pressure will be directed against the abutment ends of the piston-pockets and in the direction to cause the piston to rotate, as before stated, as the pressure on the side walls of the pockets is insufficient to retard the forward motion of the piston.

By the construction shown when the inlet ends of the several pocket-s pass beyond or out of contact with the field of pressure meaning the water held within the upper and lower collecting-spaces 12 l2"-the fluid within the pockets becomes inoperative and forms, at it were, until the pockets come into the field of pressure again, a fixed part of the piston. Thus the propelling force within each pocket is automatically cut off and rendered m'l as a propulsion means as soon as the pockets pass the upper and lower collectingspaces 12 or 12. When using steam as a motive power, the pipe or lead connecting the lower space 12 with the upper space is out off, and the said lower space 1E2" then forms an exhaust-chamber that discharges through the valve-exhaust, which when steam is used remains open.

While I have not so illustrated it, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which myinvention belongs that my form of engine may be con1poundedthat is, made with two distinct pistons and piston-chambers and the valve-pipe made with proper valve laterals, whereby the two pistons may be alternately set in operation to propel the engine in reverse directions, it being also understood that when thus arranged the two pistons have their pockets and the chambers have their collecting-spaces practically in opposite directions.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The hereinbefore described improvement in rotary engines, comprising in combination with the casing having an annular chamber provided with a valved inlet and an oppositely-disposed valved outlet, a collecting-space 12, formed in the annular wall of the chamber, into which the inlet discharges, said space 12, extending from the inlet in the direction of the piston rotation, a second collecting-space 12, communicating with the valved outlet, said space extending in the direction of the forward movement of the piston, means for bringing the two spaces 12 and 2 into direct communication with each other, a concentrically-rotating piston within the casing, having its peripheral edge in close contact with the annular wall of the casingchamber, said piston having a series of peripheral pockets, the inlet ends of which are restricted in size, the'body portion thereof enlarged and extended tangentially in the direction of rotation of the piston, all being arranged substantially as shown and described.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with the casing having an annular chamber provided with a valved inlet at the top and a valved outlet at the bottom, said chamber having a pocket extending from the inlet downward in the direction of the rotation of the piston, the outlet part of the chamber having a similar pocket extending along the upgoing side, means for placing the two pockets in communication with each other, a concentric piston having pockets in the peripheral face thereof, said pockets having radially-extending inlets and tangentially-disposed collecting portions, the pockets of the downgoing side of the piston being in communication with each other and those of the upgoing side being closed off from each other and the chamber-space, substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

WILLIAM H. PRESTON.

Witnesses:

E. T. HALE, FRANCIS L. SAWLEY. 

